1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a chord performing apparatus for an electronic organ with a chord-former, the latter being provided with one or more control inputs to which, via first switch elements control signals for defining the chord tone may be supplied and with one or more second control inputs to which, via second switch elements control signals for defining the chord type may be supplied, with a set of first and second presettable control units which, prior to the beginning of the playing, are set in accordance with a pattern of chord tones and chord types corresponding to the times or parts thereof of the piece of music to be played and in which the tones and chord types are presented in the rhythm of the melody, in a desired sequence, during the playing.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Electronic musical instruments with a chord-former, such as an electronic organ or an electronic accordion, have been used in the art. An example hereof is the Cosmovox organ, type F50. Over and above the simple organs, such organs have the advantage that by touching keys in the undermanual a complete chord is produced; the tone of this chord is defined by the key touched and the chordtype (major, minor, seventh degree, dim) is defined by a switch to be operated separately.
Although playing a similar organ gives the beginner earlier satisfaction than playing a normal organ--one is released of playing the complete chords, using several fingers of one hand, which is so difficult, particularly at the beginning--it has been found in practice nevertheless that also this simplified playing is experienced by many as being too complicated, because particularly the co-ordination of both hands, the playing of two manuals at the same time and the touching of the right keys demand prolonged exercise. As a result thereof, the beginner does not derive that pleasure from the instrument he had imagined and often breaks off the study in an early stage.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,889,568 (PIONEER) teaches an automatic chord performance apparatus for an electronic chord organ with a memory for selectively storing a limited number of typical chord patterns, said memory being combined with encoding and decoding means and controlling a chord selecting circuit with a tone generating circuit. Contrarily thereto the present invention proposes to use the existing chord generating circuit which is present in any automatic chord ogran and offers the advantage of easier programming, a wider choice with many variations, and the possibility to adapt the device to any kind of organ; it can be included at the factory but it is also possible to add it to already existing organs